Microassembler systems use a dynamic, electrostatic template, such as a two-dimensional array of controllable voltage electrodes to create electric field patterns. The field patterns manipulate and align particles or chiplets, typically suspended in a solution, into an assembly. The pitch of the electrodes defines the design grid of the assembly and determines at what resolution a designer may be able to place and align particles in an assembly. The design grids may have a scale of 100s of microns down to a micron.
Assemblers can assemble a single particle type, or could be used to assemble different particle types. Assembling multiple particle types can be done simultaneously using feedback control to appropriately place different types of particles or in a sequence of assembly steps. In all these cases, a challenge exists when transferring an assembly from the assembly template to a final substrate, if a dielectric layer covering the assembly template does not become the final substrate. Maintaining fidelity of the assembly presents a first level of challenge, which increases when the process involves multiple assemblies that require proper alignment with high fidelity.